It is alleged by the former Adyar
accountant Mr M Kannan that Adyar Estate General Manager and Theosophical
Society official, Mr S Harihara Raghavan is claiming that he is so well connected
with the local police that he can get anyone put in prison. It is also claimed
that both Adyar staff and some Theosophical Society members resident at Adyar
live in constant fear of him. According to the allegation, it is a wide threat
that includes the word "anyone".

ďMr Harihara
Raghavan is known to harass many

workers and others
with police action by filing

frivolous
complaints saying he knows every senior

police officer and
can put anyone in prisonĒ

It needs to be established firstly if Adyar
Estate General Manager, Mr S Harihara Raghavan made this claim and secondly
whether there is substance to his claim to be able to imprison people, and if
so, how many times the threat has been carried out. He has made a complaint to
the police resulting in the two day detention and interrogation of former Adyar
accountant Mr M Kannan at Besant Nagar Police Station, so the threat does seem
real.

In addition to the police detention, a letter
from Mr S Harihara Raghavan to Mr Kannan regarding a car parked outside his
quarters at Adyar makes a clear threat of police action, despite this being a
civil and not a police matter, and the car not even belonging to Mr Kannan. I
am also informed that the use of the phrase ďthings will be worseĒ in the letter,
carries a much more menacing threat in Indian English than

Until the facts are established and the
situation addressed, the threat of some sort of police action will have to be
in the reckoning, not only of the Adyar staff and residents, but also all
Theosophical Society members who visit Adyar. It may be prudent for members to
stay away from Adyar, especially if they have a health problem that may be
aggravated by police detention and interrogation. Mr Kannan suffers from a
serious heart condition and has undergone surgery. It is to hoped that the
international president has enquired as to Mr Kannanís health and can report to
members as to whether he is OK after his ordeal.

If Mr S Harihara Raghavan is as
influential with the police as he is alleged to be, then there is unlikely to
be any immediate help available for anyone detained by the police. General
Council members may feel more threatened than the general membership and may
suggest an alternative venue, in another country, for meetings. If there is a
threat to the international president then the worldwide Theosophical Society
will have to mobilise itself in support, or face disintegration.

It is reasonable and appropriate against
this background to expect leadership to do a bit of leading. A clear statement
from the international president to inform members that the matter is being
investigated would at least assure members that the president is still in
charge, and is working towards a resolution of the crisis. Silence by the
president indicates that he is not in control.